Hi Bob! I just have to say that your site ROCKS MY SOCKS! I too am a fellow Atheist and damn proud of it. I have to say, I've never stood up for myself and my beliefs until I came across your website. I used to always just walk outta the room whenever my folks brought up Catholicism,I didn't even wanna DEAL with their hypocritical babble. I don't know what all those bible thumpers were thinkin' when they thought they could "save" the All Mighty Normal Bob Smith. Did they actually think they could turn you around with a few measley, worthless E-mails??? Pfft!!!

I mean, C'mon people! You're wasting your time! Anyway, keep up the awesome artwork and website! Gotta love that Jesus Dress Up! Keep em' cummin'! ::Evil Grin:: Bye-4-now!

Forever a Fan
~ ~*Kim*~

dear normal bob,

i wasn't going to write to you until i finished reading everything on your website, but i changed my mind because i am in a writing mood and don't want to waste it. though, i really wish i could just sit down and have a conversation with you, since written expression is one of my weakest areas.

i have been so full of hate for religion, and unfortunately, religious people, since i moved to the bible belt that i spend most of my time in a despondent funk. it is so difficult because there are so many christians that i respect, and yet i don't respect their beliefs. i don't know how to reconcile these attitudes. and there are quite a few christians i have to deal with (my boyfriend's baptist family) on a regular basis that i don't respect at all, but have to constantly pretend to... and pretend to be christian around. i hate that christians think i am immoral because i am an atheist. i think i know what love is better than they do, because i credit myself for the love i give to those i choose to give it to, not some "higher power". the christians who write to you about how you are blaspheming their beliefs, and disrespecting and offending them fill me with such an intense mixture of negative emotions because they don't realize how they disrespect and offend atheists (or me anyway; i can't speak for all atheists), and how they blaspheme my beliefs by refusing reason. it angers me to hear them blame "people like you" for the state of the world, when it is their unreason, illogic, and intolerance that makes the world a place of such suffering for me.

i am very bitter, and i don't want to be anymore. i want to divorce myself from this world run by idiots. i don't want to be a part of it. i think if i could think of myself as separate from it all, that i would feel a lot better.

the thing that inspires me most about your site is that you don't hate. your website has made me feel a lot better about the world. i've been greatly lacking the company of fellow atheists, and it's been difficult to stay grounded and not feel opressed by religion.

i don't want to feel like a victim to society anymore, and i know the power to quit feeling that is all in me. i think if i were as witty and clever as you, if i had your gift of expression, that i would have the means to fight back, and to fight the growing disdain in my heart. as it is, i only fantasize of herding christians into a false eden with flame-throwers (while scantily clad in leather with purple stripes in my hair and blue sunglasses) and nuking the place. don't worry about my sanity... it's just a fantasy. i wish i had the talent of comedy to allay my dark feelings.

i am sorry for being so serious, but thanks to you, i am able to laugh at the world again. it doesn't last long, so i visit your site often. i have gotten involved with the message boards so i have some atheist people to talk to, and i've been avoiding being serious there. i think it's better that way. i am simply 'katy' there.

i apologize for the ramblingness (i enjoy making up words) of my letter. i don't really know how to organize my thoughts. it's something i've been working on since i discovered the internet and had the desire to actually communicate with people, but my style is a work-in-progress. any tips or criticism would be welcome, though what i really need is a good mentor. i'm sure you're too busy to take the job, but it can't hurt to ask. there is actually much more i wanted to say, but i can't remember what it all was. would you mind if i e-mailed you again sometime?

to conclude -- and give you more of an idea of who i am -- here's a paragraph of random things about myself:it is my goal in life to become a bad-ass chick. i am 23 and live in fort worth. i would probably have a crush on you if you didn't look like my brother and i wasn't already incredibly in love. i play the guitar (a little better than mediocre, but not well enough to be in a band... well, maybe as rythm); i love science fiction; i'm a perfectionist when it comes to spelling, but i've never done well in english classes; i love mathematics, and when i finally get around to going to college, that's probably what i'll major in... or maybe photography; i can't draw worth shit, but i can make pretty pictures on the computer; i have a tattoo on my shoulder; and i have a tendency to ramble when i can't pinpoint exactly what i want to say.

--katy

p.s. i hope you like the picture i included. it's the only one i have right now. when the day comes that i get a digital camera and have done some more interesting things with my life, i hope to make it onto your super chic pages.

p.p.s. i'd go through and capitalize all the appropriate letters for you, but it's 4 in the morning, and i'm just too damn lazy.

Dear Bob,

I just saw your site today, and it is the best thing I've seen in a long, long time. I have always had a problem with the "Christian thing." These so-called Christians have always managed to make me feel as if I should be burning at the stake or something. I often have people coming up to me and handing me "Jesus saves" literature (I must have a look that says "condemned soul" or something). Anyway, I hope that you can see this photo I sent, because it's kind of dark. It should get my message across.

Monique

Dear Bob,
You can not defeat God.
God is the ruler of the world. He created it en He made also you. In love. And He loves you.

Mark Fioole
mfioole@hotmail.com

Of course I've defeated Him. That's His Son there on the cross in case you didn't know. I made that! By my count that's Bob - 1 & Jesus - 0

I'm a whole point ahead. Don't you see?
And what can your God do about it? I'll tell you what. Nothin'. Not a goddamned thing. He may try, but he will fail. And you worship the Guy? HA!

He had to learn His lesson the hard way.

Bob

Bob, your counting is not ok.

The day that Jesus died, satan was shaking. Because he knew that he cannot make anything to say to God that the people are wrong. Oke, we are all wrong, but the offer that Jesus made, makes Him standing between our sins and our God. So, satan has nithing more to say tot God. The battle is lost. For satan.

Why are you so hard for youreself? Why the hate?
Sorry if my englisch is that wright, I'm from Europe.
I hope to see your answer.

Mark Fioole
mfioole@hotmail.com

I greatly appreciate the apology. I had to go over your letter several times, my brain ached ever so slightly, and this doodle I'm including was a result.

Maybe the translation is muddled, but it reads as if you're asking why I make things so hard on myself and why do I hate. Is this what you're asking?

It also seems like you think that there is a good supreme being and a bad supreme being that are involved in some sort of battle, and it leaves the bad supreme being shaking with fear and hopelessness. But I'm sure that

something has to be getting lost here in the translation as well... unless you think that these things are happening in another realm... or do you already understand that it's in your head and you're seeking treatment of some sort?

Bob

Hiya;

Seems like there's some major dissapointment with god on the website. I kinda think I know where you're at with that. Personally, I try to remember that all the god / religion biz (you-name-it: churches, theologians, preachers, ministers, Jerry Falwell, etc.) is just that - a business, maybe the 3rd oldest profession? Anyway, seems like it's not God's fault for the weirdo stories, "truths", miracles (special effects) , "satan" (the bad guy), and other propaganda & crap that people put out for one reason or another. There's some really sick god stuff out there and people are getting hurt by it.

Also seems like when some people talk about "God" they really mean their little own "god" whatever they create that to be, and then claim it's the real deal "God". The trouble with all the little 'gods' is that they can't really do anything - they're somebody's fantasy or nightmare or both that they want to lay as a headtrip on others. But, I don't hold it against God that people lie, cheat, steal, and try to pretend that their lesser 'god' is the real Guy / Gal.

Various translations of the Christian Bible contain modern re-intrepretations of ancient "official" jesus stories written down by people living in long-extinct cultures. Usually things were written long after the actual events happened and I would not hold that against God or Jesus. Jesus died (was murdered) becaue he tried to help free people from the chains that enslaved them; whether cultural, social, or psychological.

He ran headlong into the comfortable status-quo; the powers-that-be who were threatened by people thinking and acting for themselves and paid the price. The dress-up thing is sorta funny and maybe a money maker, but it's slaming the wrong guy too.
Maybe the real God happens when people respect, love, care, and support each other's human flourishing.

Stay Frosty,
Stacey

Stacey,
First, rest assured that Jesus Dress Up does not make money, and it's more than sorta funny. You should also know that ANY talk of a god up in the sky sounds foolish to me... whether He's the God in peoples heads or a misunderstood god.

Everyone knows that the symbol on my site represents a god... not a guy who freed slaves. But this is all beside the point because it's only a joke. A drawing on the net. It makes no difference in the grand scheme of anything. It's called humor.

As for your "God happens when people respect, love, care, and support each other's human flourishing" is a bunch of B.S. I have no idea what this means. Supporting every idea conceived by everyone is a foolish idea in itself. Or if you're saying respect, love & caring for everyone should be the priority... would we still be allowed do disagree at all? Maybe comedy is bad?

Bob

You are pretty sacreligious. And I got very offended from your site. you shouldn't have a DRESS UP JESUS..... and then you have the nerve to call it YOUR MASTERPIECE. I think that's the crappiest site i've been to. And the cruelist.... don't you have anything better to do with your time?

Anonymous

Have you seen my movie reviews?

Bob

SCREW YOU!!!!

Anonymous

You sound so content with your life. Heck, you've sold me, where do I sign up?

Bob

what a nice come back.... but not good enough to come between me and god

Anonymous

Your entire website seems to be devoted to the question of why people worship and have any kind of religion. Well, as long as there has been people there has been religion. There's no disputing that whether you're talking about naturalistic religions (native american, african, neanderthal etc.) or non- native religions (christianity, buddhism, islam, some forms of hindu) there has always been religion. There used to be no accepted alternative to religion.

If you were born on a desert island and there was no one else and no culture you would create your own religion as you grew up alone on that desert island. there was no other way to explain the things we now know scientifically, night and day, tides, etc. Your human instinct would create God or gods to help you understand the things you couldn't understand intellectually. This is the origin of religion and that's why people are emailing your site with hate mail telling you your going to hell. Because they don't understand everything in their world so they need God to make sense of the world around them. People have based their world view on jesus and most of them don't appreciate you making fun of it. I'm sure you know all of this already so I can't see why you are so fascinated going through all that hate mail. Religion is a natural human instinct that science cannot conquer because science does not provide the answer to our emotional needs which Christianity does (to some people). Whether there is God or not is basically irrelevant. You can't prove or disprove there is god. You say to someone there is no scientific evidence for god; the big bang created the universe. Someone says who created the gases that created the big bang? you have no answer. they'll say god. God helps some people and if you treat religion correctly (there are ways) it can be a rewarding expierence (more than just an escape)But if you don't accept God then there's nothing anyone can do; it's a personal choice for everyone. You're websites good in that it promotes discussion; but it must be a bitch going through all that fundamentalist hate mail.

Nick Waldrop
nwaldrop@radford.edu

OK Nick, here's the deal. The main reason that I've been sticking to this site for so long is because... well, I like girls. I sit in a coffee shop and watch the girls go by. Some smile, some come in and talk, while others completely ignore me... and it's great! Answering the hate mail is an excuse. I don't care if I spark discussion. I don't care if I get through to anyone. I just want it to be fun... and I like showing off.
You see, I already know what I believe. No one is going to convince me that there's a loving God in the sky that does only good and a devil down below devoted to evil.

My website does NOT ask why people have religion. To that I sarcastically say "duh". The answers are obvious and sensible (fear, ignorance, hope, loneliness, self righteousness and/or quite simply an honest belief that it is all really for real). And the belief in an everlasting life is what makes people get so stupid about it all (suicide hi-jackings, crusades, wacky hate letters, etc).

It's all very clear to me and it fascinates me the things people can make themselves believe no matter how farfetched and silly it sounds when put into words. It's the closest thing to witnessing actual fantasy. And being the Spock-esque logical thinker that I am, I simply adore the concepts people come up with.

The best proof that there is no God is that it does not make sense. That, and there is far too much reality for it to be so. You will find that all "proof" that God exists has a logical answer waiting in the wings. It's just that simple Nick.

While I was responding to your email, one girl smiled at me, another rolled her eyes and a man on a cell phone fell over a newspaper stand.

What was that you were sayin' about naturalistic/ non-native religions?